A 27-year-old Komagatake single malt vatted from four casks distilled in 1986, 1988 and 1990 at Mars Shinshu, bottled in March 2018 at 46%. Hombo Shuzo released 1,246 bottles by lottery.
About This Whisky
Kenji Taniguchi, then production manager and chief blender, built this from old stock. The four casks were American white oak #382 (1986) and sherry casks #327 (1986), #570 (1988) and #1068 (1990). All of them predate the shutdown of 1992. The official note describes plum, apricot and vanilla, and a spicy, complex palate from start to finish. It was sold in Japan through the distillery's online shop in April 2018 and has since been discontinued.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Plum, apricot and vanilla, with a light spice.
- Palate: Rich and layered. Stone fruit, sherry spice and old oak, complex through to the end.
- Finish: Long and spicy, with dried fruit and soft wood.
Serving & Food
Serve neat at room temperature in a nosing glass. It needs no water at 46%, but give it time in the glass. Pair with plum wine jelly, roast duck or aged Gouda.
How to Enjoy
Drinkers after a mature Mars vatting that shows sherry and American oak side by side from the original distillery era.
Product Details
Distillery: Mars Shinshu (now Mars Komagatake)
Producer: Hombo Shuzo
Country: Japan
Region: Miyada, Nagano
Category: Japanese single malt whisky
Age: 27 years
Distilled: 1986, 1988 and 1990
Bottled: March 2018
Casks: American white oak #382; sherry casks #327, #570, #1068
Edition Size: 1,246 bottles
Presentation: Gift box
ABV: 46%
Proof: 92
Volume: 700mL
About the Distillery
Since the restart, Mars has changed a good deal. The Nagano site has been renamed Mars Komagatake Distillery, and the company opened a second malt distillery, Tsunuki, in Kagoshima, where Hombo Shuzo began.
Tsunuki's warm southern climate sits in sharp contrast with the cool, misty mountain warehouses of Komagatake, and Mars now matures spirit at both, as well as on Yakushima island. Old vattings such as this 27-year-old come from the small reserve of pre-1992 stock that survived the long pause.